Composites / Plastics

Home to the research and development facilities of the University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the 15-county Knoxville-Oak Ridge region has become a center of expertise for advanced composites materials.

The region’s R&D capabilities and access to user facilities provides a significant advantage to the plastics and composites sector.

The Department of Energy's 42,000 sq. ft. Carbon Fiber Technology Facility, located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, offers a 390’ highly flexible, highly instrumented carbon fiber line with a capacity of up to 25 tons per year.

Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation

3D Manufacturing Demonstration Facility

The University of Tennessee highly ranked College of Engineering offers a degree in Materials Science

Roane State Community College offers an Advanced Composites Employment program

Cherokee Farm Innovation Campus and Research Park

A growing, trained manufacturing workforce of 45,000

50+ companies in the sector employing more than 2,500 workers in the region

Seven University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory Governor's Chairs in Advanced Composites Manufacturing at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville